A panel of individuals including Sherialyn Byrdsong and past awardees review all nominations.

This year, our keynote speaker will be Carey Casey (pictured to the right),

CEO, National Center for Fathering and Author of Championship Fathering and 21-Day Dad's Challenge - Three Weeks to a Better Relationship with Your Kids (Forthcoming October 2011)

IFI Fall Fatherhood Celebration
This annual event has been established to recognize educators from schools across Illinois that participated in the annual IFI/Chicago White Sox Illinois Fatherhood Essay Contest. This year, more than 18,000 students in grades K-12 submitted essays to the theme “What My Father Means To Me.” This statewide program is the largest of its kind in the nation and engages over 200 communities, more than 2,000 educators, and nearly 1,000 volunteer evaluators. 156 of the essayists were recognized in May at the IFI/Faces of Fatherhood Celebration. And 12 men (3 dads, 3 stepdads, 3 grand dads, and 3 father-figures) were recognized in June at the IFI/Fatherhood Dinner Celebration. The essays and celebrations raise awareness of the importance of father involvement by reaching the hearts of fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, and father figures with the direct words of their children.

The keynote speaker, Carey Casey gave an inspiring talk about the importance of fatherhood.